5 top tips to help you sell your house

Take control of the selling process, get your home ready for sale, attract interest and achieve the best price possible with this expert guide.

Early autumn is a great time for putting your house up for sale. The children are back at school, and Christmas is still weeks away. 'September is a good month to put your property on the market as potential buyers start looking again,' says Alex Gosling, head of online estate agency housesimple.com. 'Inevitably buyer activity will have fallen off significantly over the summer months as families head off on holiday.' Act now maximise this early autumn slot before the evenings draw in.

1. Keep On Top Of The Price

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The standard advice is to invite three estate agents to value your house, then choose the one you feel most comfortable with. Do your own homework though, using Rightmove and Zoopla, and don't be seduced by the highest valuation. 'Check prices of recently sold properties in your immediate area,' says Luke Bishop at Wooster & Stock in south London. 'If there are very few viewings in the first couple of weeks, this may be an indication the price is too high.' If this happens, seize the initiative and approach your agent to discuss, rather than allow them to pressurise you into a hasty reduction.

2. Choose The Best Agent For The Job

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A good relationship with your agent is crucial. Larger high street estate agencies may boast the marketing reach, but the person who comes to value your house might not be the one doing the actual selling. That's why it's worth looking at the overall service the company offers, not just the individual. Social media, especially Twitter, can be a good indicator of how an agency presents itself in the marketplace. If you opt for an online agency, you must be prepared to do a lot of the "selling" work yourself, such as conducting viewings. However, this increasingly popular option will save you money. It costs around £5,000 to instruct a traditional estate agent working for a 1.5 commission fee (plus VAT) on a £300,000 house. Online packages tend to start at around £500.

3. Capture The Imagination

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The advice used to be to remove all traces of your own presence, but agents are saying that homes with "character" actually impress buyers more. As Matthew Hallett, director at Winkworth in Salisbury explains, 'a charmless property is more difficult for a buyer to picture themselves living in, and consequently less appealing.' However, he warns, 'a cluttered property gives the message that sellers are not committed. A buyer would not want to invest valuable time, money and emotional effort in trying to buy a house that they suspect a vendor may not be serious about selling.' The power of suggestion works marvels; in the garden, arrange a scenario with table, chairs and fire-pit to illustrate year-round outdoor living, turn an under-stairs area into a workspace, dehumidify lofts and basements to offer extension potential, and clear closets of summer clothes. 'Buyers keep an eye out for really good storage space,' says property finder Jo Eccles of Sourcing Property. 'If you're lucky enough to have great storage, don't keep it so full that no one can see into it.'

4. Go To Market Armed

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Nine of 10 house-hunters now use the internet when looking for property, according to Google, so the visual appeal of your house must be spot on. 'Aim for 8-12 photographs to accompany the online details,' advises property expert Samantha Ashdown of Home Truths. 'Some rooms are better than others to show your home off: kitchens and living rooms are 'must haves', but bedrooms and bathrooms are only worth showing if they're really special.' Tell your agent you also need a floorplan, with measurements. This is particularly useful for older properties, as it makes a selling point of your relatively spacious proportions.

5. Maximise Those Viewings

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'Take control of the process, ensure you understand the value of your house and are able to back it up,' advises Adam Male, at online estate agency urban.co.uk. Make a pack with all guarantees, local details, even a short history of the house. If you're nervous, invite a friend around to practise on. Ask them to play devil's advocate with some tricky questions so you're well-prepared when actual viewers come along. Jane Ringe, a home-stager in London and the South East, says it's crucial to make would-be buyers already feel at home. 'You're basically manipulating a cosy family scene,' she says, 'so offer coffee in informal mugs around the kitchen table and toys for their children to play with.'

Words: Jayne Dowle

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Jayne DowleFreelance homes and property writerJayne compiles the regular monthly Bricks & Money section for House Beautiful magazine and writes about a wide range of topics, from redecoration to decluttering.

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